LOL (Laughter as an Anti-aging Tool)

Author: brent
Although not one of my "prouder" moments, I still have to smile, or even laugh out loud, at a time in high school when Tom M. and I smoked pot before an "Oklahoma" musical practice. (I should mention that here in Colorado I think everyone smokes pot except for me. I asked a friend at work the other day how many people in CO. who smoke pot have a medical mariuana license. She said about 10%. Then I asked her how many people who have a medical mariuana license actual need it for medical purposes and she said about 10%. I thought that was pretty funny). Anyway, back to high school musical practice...
Tom and I had a part where just the two of us interacted verbally in this one scene. I started laughing which got Tom laughing and we had a hard time stopping. Even the director and other students were laughing...a little.
The problem was that when Tom and I regained our composure it only lasted until the next "take". Everytime we tried to complete this simple and short dialogue we totally lost it. It got to the point where the director was making us do it over and over again to punish us! Which made us laugh even more. I think even our fellow actors and actresses were getting tired of our shananigans, and probably even more irritated with the director.
I don't personally smoke pot or anything else, anymore. It's been three decades (give or take 14 years) since I engaged in such a past time. But, I have not quit laughing! No sir, no maam, no way! I still laugh more than the average person...a lot more.
I have this tendancy to creat a SNL skit in my head about random things and can often find myself laughing out loud in the car. I make jokes at work, on the trail, in the restaurant and even at the library. I also laugh heartily at other people's "funnies". I am a great friend because I will always laugh at your jokes. I totally love witty people who weave humor in and out of every comment.
A recent survey claimed that men smile 8 times per day compared with women who smile 20-30 times per day. I probably smiled ten times just writing this post, not including twice at the library staff. (I sometimes use the library computer if I do not need my own hard drive available).
For awhile I kinda got sick of seeing LOL everywhere I looked. But all in all, LOL is good and, most important to all you frowny faces who complain too much, laughing is one of the ten best alternative therapies for fighting disease and healing after sugery and making friends.
According to the Mayo Clinic and, other institutional studies, laughing, relaxing and socializing make you feel better and also have an anti-aging effect on the body itself!
Laughing in a healthy way (it's not funny to laugh at disease, pain, suffering and mean icky stuff) will improve your ability to stay calm in tense moments.
Laughing helps to curb a firey temper. It expands your view of things and allows you to think first.
Laughing exercises important face muscles and even muscles in the upper torso.
Laughing fights stress and its effect on the physical body.
It's no laughing matter, you are getting younger, and better!